2. History
•
•
•
•
•
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music
Developed in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s
Originally in the United Kingdom then USA
Roots of blues rock
heavy metal developed a thick, massive
sound, characterized by highly
amplified distortion, extended guitar solos,
emphatic beats, and overall loudness

3. First metal bands
Led Zeppelin
Deep Purple
Black Sabbath

4. History
• Motörhead introduced a punk rock sensibility
and an increasing emphasis on speed.
• Bands in the New Wave of British Heavy
Metal such as Iron Maiden and Saxon followed
in a similar vein.
• Before the end of the decade, heavy metal
fans became known as "metalheads" or
"headbangers".

5. History
• Underground scenes produced an array of
more extreme, aggressive styles: thrash
metal broke into the mainstream with bands
such as Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer,
and Anthrax, while other styles of the
most extreme subgenres of metal like death
metal and black
metal remain subcultural phenomena

6. Characteristics
• traditionally characterized by loud distorted
guitars, emphatic rhythms, dense bass-and-drum
sound, and vigorous vocals.
• The electric guitar and the sonic power that it
projects through amplification has historically
been the key element in heavy metal
• Drummers develop speed and coordination as
they need to be fast
• Vocalists show emotion and scream into the
microphone

7. Image and fashion
• Image is expressed in album sleeve art, logos, stage sets,
clothing, and music videos
• Some heavy metal acts such as Alice
Cooper, Kiss, Lordi and Gwar have outrageous performance
personas and stage shows.
• Down the back long hair crucial distinguishing feature of
metal fashion (adopted from hippie subculture)
• The classic uniform of heavy metal fans consists of light
coloured, ripped frayed or torn blue jeans, black T-shirts,
boots and black leather or jeans jackets
• T-shirts are generally emblazoned with the logos or other
visual representations of favourite metal bands
• chains, metal studs, skulls, leather and crosses

8. Physical gestures
• Many metal musicians when performing live
engage in head banging
• The il cornuto, or devil horns, hand gesture,
also widespread, was popularized by
vocalist Ronnie James Dio while with Black
Sabbath
• two primary body movements that substitute
for dancing: headbanging and an arm thrust